Wafer binding method and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically binding a silicon wafer to a carrier plate. In the binding method of the present invention, the wafer is positioned underneath the carrier plate and then lifted and bonded to the carrier plate, at or below atmospheric pressure: once this is accomplished the process returns to the previous pressure. In addition, in the apparatus which performs this process, by means of a carrier means which supplies the carrier plate and wafer to the location where binding is to be carried out, the binding surface of the carrier plate and wafer are turned upward, transported and the carrier plate is flipped around in the interval between the carrier plate transportation apparatus and the binding unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wafer binding apparatus comprising: a tightly sealed first decompression chamber,   a tightly sealed second decompression chamber provided at the lower portion of said first decompression chamber,   a diaphragm which divides said decompression chambers,   a wafer carrier, provided in said first decompression chamber and a carrier plate and wafers to be bonded to said carrier plate in the upper plate of said diaphragm, and   a pressure control means for controlling the pressure inside of both said decompression chambers,   in said wafer carrier there are provided:   a wafer supporting part for supporting each of said wafers in a position facing the upper surface of said diaphragm, and   a carrier plate supporting part for supporting said carrier plate in a fixed spacing in the interval between the upper surface of said wafer and said wafer supporting part,   wherein said pressure control means lowers the pressure in both of said decompressing chambers at the same time and then increases the pressure of said second decompression chamber relative to said first decompression chamber so that the position of said diaphragm is changed such that said diaphragm is drawn near to said carrier plate through said fixed spacing extending in between.   
     
     
       2. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pressure control means lowers the pressure in both of said decompression chambers at the same time below the atmospheric pressure level. 
     
     
       3. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pressure control means keeps the pressure in said first decompression chamber below the atmospheric pressure level throughout the period of a binding process. 
     
     
       4. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pressure control means keeps the pressure in said first decompression chamber below the atmospheric pressure level throughout the period of a binding process. 
     
     
       5. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a press plate is provided in the upper side of said carrier plate so as to press the carrier plate which tends to move upperward. 
     
     
       6. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a press plate is provided in the upper side of said carrier plate so as to press the carrier plate which tends to move upperward. 
     
     
       7. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a press plate is provided in the upper side of said carrier plate so as to press the carrier plate which tends to move upperward. 
     
     
       8. A wafer binding apparatus according to claim 4 wherein a press plate is provided in the upper side of said carrier plate so as to press the carrier plate which tends to move upperward.